Business Management (International Management) with a Professional Placement Year (BSc)
- Subject area: Business management
- UCAS code: 2B68
- Next intake: September 2025
- Duration: 4 years
- Mode: Full time with sandwich year
Why study this course
Learn from the best
Benefit from expertise and support of research-active staff in a school with the highest possible score for research environment.
Open up a world of possibilities
Tackle unique, globally relevant business challenges setting you up to work around the world.
Placement year
Gain industry experience in your area of choice; develop the skills, and connections to accelerate your career.
Marked for excellence
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
The globalisation of economies across the world means businesses operate on an international level to meet the growing demand for goods and services. As organisations find ways to respond to these demands, employees with responsible international management expertise are in high demand.
Our BSc Business Management (International Management) is designed to equip you with practical skills and professional confidence for a successful career in a multinational corporation.
You’ll develop international management expertise from our team of researchers and business practitioners. They’ll introduce you to the principles of multiculturalism, ethics and morality and practices like cultural marketing, international business logistics and human resource management.
Your Professional Placement Year is an opportunity to put your university knowhow into practice as you take up a paid role and complement your academic study with exposure to real-world international business scenarios.
Accreditations

Subject area: Business management
Entry requirements
We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:
A level
AAB-ABB
Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
- Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
- Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.
Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.
International Baccalaureate
34-32 overall or 666-665 in 3 HL subjects.
Baccalaureate Wales
From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
Other essential requirements
You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.
- GCSE Maths grade B/6 or equivalent qualification (subject and grade). If you are taking A-level Maths (or equivalent), GCSE Maths is not required. Core Maths may also be accepted in place of GCSE Maths.
We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
English language requirements
GCSE
Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.
IELTS (academic)
At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.
TOEFL iBT
At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking.
PTE Academic
At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.
Trinity ISE II/III
II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.
Other accepted qualifications
Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Other qualifications from inside the UK
Qualifications from outside the UK
Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
Learn more about our tuition fees
Financial support
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Costs for sandwich years
During a sandwich year (e.g. year in industry, placement year or year abroad) a lower fee will apply. Full details can be found on our fees pages.
Additional costs
There are no additional costs
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.
Living costs
We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Careers and placements
Career prospects
97% of our students are in employment and/or further study within six months of graduating.
Our dedicated career professionals have got you covered on things like industry placements, internships, work experience and insights.
You’ll benefit from career consultations, interview and CV writing workshops, industry-specific events and specialist psychometric assessment and broad skills training.
Placements
This programme includes a professional placement year during year 3 of the four-year programme. You will be responsible for sourcing your own placement, though support will be given by the School’s employability team. If you are unable to secure a suitable placement you will be permitted to transfer to the equivalent ‘non-placement’ programme, assuming the relevant academic requirements are met. Placements can be conducted in English or in Welsh.
International Study
To give you the opportunity to gain a global perspective, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria (overall average mark of 60% or higher in the first year and a successful interview with the Director of International Exchange) you may transfer to the Semester Abroad programme. On the semester abroad programme you take six compulsory single modules in the first semester of year 2 before spending the Spring semester of year 2 at one of our partner universities abroad studying relevant modules in English.
We have exchange agreements with high ranking Business Schools and universities worldwide where you will study modules taught and assessed in English at the partner university. A list of partner institutions, all of which offer modules taught in English, can be found on our website.
Our Exchange team and the University Global Opportunity Centre work closely with you in preparation for and during your studies abroad.
Next steps
Open Day visits
Sign up to receive our latest news.
International
Learn more about our truly global university.
Get in touch
Send us a question or talk to our admissions team.
How to apply
Find out how to apply for this course
Discover more
HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.